Iberian Soldier
The Iberian Soldiers or Hispani Soldiers were famous mercenaries and tribal warriors in Roman times, mostly due to their helping of Hannibal Barca and Carthage in the Second Punic War. When they weren't fighting for other nations, they were fighting other tribes with weapons like the Falcata, Gladius Hispaniensis, and Soliferrums with high quality iron. They were adept at ambushes and guerrilla tactics in combat, adding to their effectiveness. They were separated into two infantry groups based on what shield they used, Scutati carried Scutums and Caetrati carried Caetras. They were adept at horseback combat and horse breeding as well which made them an even greater asset to their clients. The Iberians fought in many Mediterranean places for Carthage and Rome. Carthage took over the Iberian territories after the First Punic War but after the Second Punic War and Carthage's defeat, Rome took over the Iberian territories and crushed their rebellions. Battle vs. Zulu Warrior (by Pygmy Hippo 2) Carthage Carthage's preparations for war against the Roman Empire had been halted for a while by the sudden attacks of a mysterious new army of attackers led by a man called Shaka. The General Hannibal had formed a small force of Iberian Caetrati mercenaries to go out and see if they could find the enemy's base. Instead, the Iberians had found a force equal in numbers to theirs and decided to wait for orders from their employer before engaging the enemy. The small force of Zulu Impi soldiers had been sent to scout the territory after King Shaka heard rumors of mercenaries being hired and protect the base. They noticed another group but followed their leader's orders and did not pursue them after they left. The Zulu were sure that there would be an army coming but instead, the same force returned and started running at them while yelling with javelins in one hand and shields in the other. "Zulu! Zulu!" The Impis shouted their own battle cries and drew Assegais with their Isihlangu shields before throwing them at the approaching enemies who took some losses from the throwing spears but the Caetra shields and bronze armor of some blocked the majority of projectiles. The Caetrati got witin Soliferrum range and unleashed a much more lethal barrage that tore through the wooden ox-hide shields with ease and the unarmored flesh of their foes with ease. Needless to say, the Zulu were shaken by the fact that most of their shields were gone but were driven into a frenzy when the Iberians began retreating and pursued them to avenge their losses. The Caetrati merely looked back and their leader nodded to make them draw slings and start firing bullets at their now much less-equipped adversaries who wound up getting broken bones and falling over if they didn't have an Isihlangu anymore and the few that did still had to witness some men getting their foreheads split open with rocks and killed. However said losses only amounted to a handful and the Impi retaliated with a barrage of Iwisas that did much less damage, the wooden clubs mostly bounced off the enemy's armor and only two poor mercenaries got the same fate that their enemies had. The Zulus and Iberians finally got within melee distance and the chaotic combat that followed actually made the tide seem like it was changing. While a couple Impis were foolish enough to utilize the Iwisa at short range, the Iklwa and Zulu Axe proved more effective than the Falcata and Gladius Hispaniensis at killing their foes despite the armor. This was made even worse as the Isihlangu was able to disarm the Caetrati of their namesake and then finish them off with a precise blow to unarmored parts. The Iberians started retreating as a couple more men held the Zulus back before being slain and retreated to a nearby valley where their opponents lost them and were then taken off-guard as a couple men wound up with hacked open heads. The Impi quickly reacted to the Caetrati's ambush and once more fought them with their best weapons but the previous losses had taken their toll and the majority of them now had to fight two enemies, a situation that resulted in them getting butchered. A couple men kept fighting with fury and one soldier with a Iklwa and Axe tore through throats and stomachs before a Gladius stabbed through his back and out his chest. The rest of the Zulu began retreating and were picked off by ranged attacks, one catching a bullet to the back of his head and another getting a Soliferrum in all of his limbs before his head was punctured. Two Impi finally faced off against the seven remaining Caetrati and one of them stabbed through an unarmored mercenary's chest with an Assegai before beating another to death with his Isihlangu before being surrounded by four men and stabbed with Soliferrums relentlessly. The leaders then stood off against each other and after a couple misses, the Falcata lopped off the Iklwa's spear point and a Caetra punch broke his foe's hand behind his shield. The Zulu quickly pulled out his Axe and caught the Iberian's blade before tearing it away and then hooked his foe's shield away. However this gave time for the Caetrati leader to pull out his Gladius and hack down on the man's forearms, literally disarming him, before disembowling him and finally splitting the Impi's head down the middle. His fellows joined him afterwards before they left the bodies there and returned back to Carthage to tell their employer the good news of their victory. What happened next is history as King Shaka was certainly not prepared for an army of armored mercenaries with cavalry and war elephants, winding up another victory of the General Hannibal. Winner:Iberian Caetrati Expert's Opinion The Zulu Impi had the better combo of blade and shield, a better secondary melee weapon, and experience against more technologically advanced foes and skirmishers but the Iberian Caetrati dominated ranged combat, had more armor to protect them, and their tactics enabled them to wear down their foes. In the end, the Zulu couldn't close the distance against the Iberians before their numbers were dwindled too much. To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here. Category:Warriors Category:Real Warriors Category:European Warriors Category:Ancient Warriors Category:Human Warriors Category:Group Warriors Category:Historical Warriors